The EU envoy for Kosova Petritsch, one of the international negotiators, was quoted early afternoon today as saying "negotiators will be available for just a few more hours".

However, James Rubin, the State Department spokesman and an assistant to Secretary of State Albright, also in Paris today, was quoted as saying later Petritsch might have been hasty when he said it was a matter of hours. It is a matter of days, because according to him, the conference may last till Friday.

The delegation of the Republic of Kosova said Monday it agreed to sign the Kosova interim deal negotiated at Rambouillet last month.

Even if the Kosovar Albanians sign the agreement it will be only a symbolic thing, indicating their willingness to accept it, U.S. sources said.

The presidency of the Kosovar delegation has been invited to visit the United States at the weekend, sources tell the KIC.

The end of the conference does not necessarily mean the end of negotiations, which may be carried out in the form of shuttle diplomacy, James Rubin was quoted as saying.

The Serbian side has stubbornly refused to sign up to the Rambouillet accords. Moreover, it came up with a hugely revised political plan, which is utterly unacceptable to the Kosovars and the international community.

Members of the Kosova delegation had briefings today with both the OSCE and NATO on aspects related to the implementation of the eventual agreement.

Meanwhile, the President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim Rugova said in an interview with Radio Free Europe's Albanian Service the Kosovar delegation is keen to complete its part of the job before leaving Paris. The interim agreement for Kosova is a great step towards independence, he said, adding that the people of Kosova await and "welcome NATO to implement it".

Although it knew all along Milosevic was not ready to sign up to the Kosova agreement, the international community does not seem to know what to do now.

Following is the text of the LDK statement, signed by Nekibe Kelmendi, secretary-general of the party.

(Begin text)

In view of the continuously deteriorating situation in Kosova, which has been escalating to critical dimensions by the hour, and the dangers it poses to the defenseless Albanian people of Kosova and peace in the Balkans and Europe as a whole, at a time the Belgrade regime has deployed in Kosova virtually all its military and police troops and armor;

Deeply concerned by the extremely grave situation in Kosova amidst the stepped up Serbian offensive against the Albanian people;

The Presidency of the Democratic League of Kosova calls urgently that NATO, pursuant to its clearly defined position, intervene immediately to stop the attacks by striking Serbian military and police targets, so as to avert the tragedy that is threatening Kosova, and not only Kosova.

The Presidency of the Democratic League of Kosova calls on the United States of America, member countries of the European Union, as well as members countries of the Contact Group, to support this plea, being fully convinced that they now understand the seriousness of the dramatic situation in Kosova.

(End text)

PRISHTINA, March 17 (KIC) - The EU Forensic Team presented today in Prishtina its report on the Reçak atrocity of 15 January 1999.

At least 40 unarmed Albanian civilians were killed by Serbian forces in Reçak village of Shtime then, causing outrage in Kosova and in the international community.

In a lengthy report, which has been also referred to as comments representing the personal view of the author, Dr. Helena Ranta, details are provided of how the investigations were conducted.

The EU experts have now completed only a part of the overall investigations concerning the events in Reçak - namely the medicolegal investigation of the victims. "For a more complete picture of what took place in Reçak a full criminal investigation into the events would be required, combining scene investigations, interrogation of witnesses and analysis of the evidence with the autopsy findings of the EU experts", the report said.

"There were no indications of the [killed] people [in Reçak] being other than unarmed civilians", the EU experts said.

Meanwhile, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek reiterated today his statement of 16 January, in which he condemned the Reçak atrocity against innocent civilians.

PRISHTINA, March 17 (KIC) - Serbian military and paramilitary police forces shelled the Çiçavica massif villages in northwestern Kosova overnight, local LDK sources in Vushtrri reported.

The villages of Beçuk came under Serbian attack at 9:30 CET today, they added.

As in the past twenty days, Serbian military and police, from their positions at Frashër i Vogël and Pirq of the Mitrovica municipality, shelled last night the villages of Oshlan, Pantinë and Lkej of Vushtrri municipality, local LDK sources said.

Meanwhile, more Serbian reinforcements moved in Kosova today at 7:00 CET, local sources said. A convoy involving 23 tanks, 27 lorries, 12 APCs and 25 so-called 'pragas', full of Serb soldiers and reservists arrived in the Podujeva area today morning.

The Serbian police took the bodies of the Dervishaj brothers to the Prishtina town morgue for autopsies a few hours later.

They noted that since 6 o'clock in the morning today, Serbian military and police forces held the village under an iron grip.

Huge material damage has been caused to the houses in the village, local sources said.

The names of only two arrested, brothers Ilaz and Hamëz Musa, have been provided.

The village of Korenicë has also been sealed off by police forces, LDK sources said.

Meanwhile, sources said the Serbian military has been engaged in artillery fire for three nights in a row in the villages of Vogovë, Zhub and Brekoc along the Kosova-Albania border area.

There has been no explanation about the motives behind this Serbian siege of the village.